19 Oct 2015

Gayle was an incredibly brave mum

I was shocked and sad to hear that Gayle McElhinney who put her cancer treatment on hold to concentrate on her son Kane’s battle against the same disease has lost her fight for life at the age of 35. Gayle who was rightly named Scotland's Bravest Mum delayed a life-saving double mastectomy after her second bout of breast cancer because she didn't want to be unwell recovering while Kane was undergoing treatment for liver cancer. Sadly, Kane, her youngest boy passed away at the age of 12 two years ago and now her devastated husband Robert and eldest son Daniel who live in Houston are sadly trying to come to terms with a second tragedy. I remember even from her hospice bed Gayle sent out an appeal through Facebook for her followers to display a gold ribbon in support of September's Childhood Cancer Month. She was an incredibly courageous woman. We can all pay tribute to the courage of both Gayle and Kane as well as helping Robert and Daniel fulfil Gayle’s wishes by making a donation to Calum's Cabin where they both enjoyed holidays during their illness. Donate through the charity's JustGiving page on www.calumscabin.com.

Hugh Henry MSP

About Hugh

Hugh Henry is a Scottish Labour politician first elected a Member of the Scottish Parliament in1999 when he represented Paisley South. He was appointed Deputy Minister for Health and Community in 2001and moved to Deputy Minister for Social Justice in 2002. He became Deputy Minister for Justice after the Scottish Parliamentary Elections in 2003 and Minister for Education in 2006. Hugh collected the Scottish Politician of the Year award in 2010 and won the newly created Renfrewshire South seat in 2011. He was raised in Erskine, Renfrewshire and educated at St Mirin's Academy, Paisley, at the University of Glasgow and Jordanhill College in Glasgow. He has worked as an accountant, a teacher and as a welfare rights officer. He was a local councillor from 1984 until 1999, including four years as leader of Renfrewshire Council. He is married with two daughters and a son.